TEHRAN – Iran is ready to ease visa regulations for Kyrgyzstani nationals in a bid to boost tourism, First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri has said.

He made the remarks on Saturday as he sat down for talks with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev on the sidelines of the 18th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Mehr reported. 

Jahangiri emphasized the need to further cement ties between the two countries in different areas such as banking and tourism, noting that the two countries’ economies can complement each other.

Religious, historical, and cultural commonalities between Kyrgyzstan and Iran can pave the ground for enhancing bilateral ties, he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Jahangiri said that Iran’s access to the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, as well as its infrastructure including railways, can be used as a way to transfer Kyrgyz goods to the world.

For his part, the Kyrgyz PM said that Iran has been among the first countries to recognize Kyrgyzstan’s independence and that bilateral ties have seen a growing trend since then.

He put the volume of bilateral trade at $20 million, noting that the figure is not satisfactory considering Iran’s great potentials in different sectors, including oil and gas.

Abylgaziev said that Bishkek supports Iran’s admission to Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

AFM/MG